The best thing about winning something is the reward that follows. But even better than the reward itself is the opportunity to share the victory with others.
True to our competitive spirit, Team 45 a.k.a. "Pearl's Angels" received another badge of merit for getting the highest donations for the World Hunger Program. This gave us a chance to share our reward with a charity of our choice.
On December 8, 2009 OIC Pearl Vitto and the team trooped to Macardo St. in Makati to share a few hours of fun with the children of Marco Polo Care Center (a shelter for children 3-9 years old, handled by Virlanie Foundation).
It was a joy to see the children's faces. Donned in their best Sunday attire they put on their party hats with gusto and played with the balloons that were used to decorate the place. Party proper started with a program hosted by the marketing team of McDonald's Valero (Cat, et.al) whom we hired for the event. It included parlor games which gave the team an opportunity to bond with the kids.
During one of the games, I instantly bonded with a little girl called Dana who never let go of my hand as if I was her big sister. It's amazing how most of them immediately warmed up to us, without any hesitation. Some of them were a bit timid and took a little coaxing, but they were all good-natured in general.
I think the whole team enjoyed the games as much as the kids did. We had to assist them with some of the games and as always, the competitive spirit in some of us were apparent. =)
The Marco Polo experience was something new for us. It was an experience that imbibed in us a spirit of giving and sharing something that we've worked hard for without asking anything in return. The children's laughter, their smiles, their simplicity were the real reward. It makes one feel grateful and appreciative of what he has. These children had been through a lot at their age, and to see them embrace joy for the simplest of things like a toy, or the attention of an outsider tells us that some things cannot be bought, and that pure happiness comes not from how much we acquire, but by how much we give in return.
(Thanks to kgb's Pizza Hut management and to the children and caretakers of Marco Polo Care Center for giving our team this wonderful opportunity.)
Posts
